The Meaning Of Illness

The study used qualitative research methods, trying to describe the physical and psychological experience of women with hepatitis B, as well as the attitude of people close to them. In this way, we can destruct the effect of social context on feeling and decision of female fertility and find the meaning of illness. Although the development of medicine has ensured the health of women with hepatitis B and their babies to the most degree, the experience of female reproduction has not been improved as much as the growth of medical science. There are many factors increase the discomfort and pressure and damage the reproduction process, including the concern of baby’s health, the risk which can not avoid, the pain of no breastfeeding,. Moreover, in our culture context, a healthy baby is very important to the whole family. As the result, the choices and feelings of women with hepatitis B are also influenced by their husbands as well as his family’s attitude and behavior. Our study shows that the construction of social linguistics to women with hepatitis B is the first reason of why hepatitis B could destroy the reproduction process. Secondly, it is also related to patriarchy. Since in the context of patriarchy, women are tend to be seemed as a tool of fertility. Besides, the baby is also regarded to carry on the husband’s family ancestral line. In the end of the article, I summarize the strategies of how women with hepatitis B deal with the dilemma. Their reactions have changed from hiding the truth and asking experts for help to illness normalization, and becoming collective strength. Therefore we can conclude those women are trying to change the meaning of illness, and also dilemma of whole group.